Westfield Senior High School

I graduated in 07 and believe I received an education at least on par with any public or private school in northern New Jersey. I was primarily in AP and honors classes and found the level of instruction and attention to be on the same level as a number of entry-level college courses. I found the math and science programs at the school to be particularly comprehensive and supportive with extra-help frequently available during lunch, free periods, and after school. I was less satisfied with my English/writing education, though I would still rate it better than a number of my college freshman peers. Foreign language education was also excellent with great teachers and oppurtunities.

I am a current student here. This school is not as great as you may have heard. The Teachers are okay, but about 20% of them give us bookwork in class everyday. Health is a complete joke. Worst of all, the math system is awful. I did recently move here over the summer. First, they split Algebra 1 into 2 years. So they learn a lot more than an average algebra class, which makes it difficult to keep up. They also think that geometry is a 9th grade class, when it is a 10th grade class. So what happens when an on grade level kid moves here? He expects to take Algebra in 9th but, to his surprise, everyone has already taken it. What does he do???
--Submitted by a student

I am a student at the Westfield Public High School and this school offers a wide variety of opportunities. There are many different opportunities that are offered to students who do well in there four years and do well on the SATs. Students have the favorable opportunity to check out different electives that the school offers, and sample them. Classes such as cycology, anthropology, sociology, business and law, accounting and finance, journalism and many other classes of those sorts. However, lets not forget about academic classes; students will also have many different options as to what science, history, mathematical and language arts classes that they could take. The school also offers honors and advanced programs which offer 0.5 more credits towards a students GPA. (Example: A=4.0, honors A= 4.5, and so on for B, and C)
--Submitted by a student

Great Teachers and a wide variety of opportunities for the students.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers are bright and dedicated, providing an inspirational place for the students to learn and grow.
--Submitted by a parent

Westfield High School offers students challenging academics and a supportive, positive atmosphere. Students are well-prepared for college work, and the auxilliary programs in sports and the arts are well-run with caring leadership. The honors and AP classes will challenge very good students. There is a huge difference between honors and regular courses. I believe that the regular courses are improving, though there is room for more improvement.
--Submitted by a parent

Although the Westfield School System offers an outstanding academic program for those students motivated to compete, students who are not as motivated often 'slip through the cracks.' There is a huge history of denial in the school system. The pervasive parental attitude of entitlement is largely transferred to students.
--Submitted by a former student

The westfield high school is a great school with many options like AP classes and honors classes.
--Submitted by a student

My daughter graduated WHS in 2005. I feel that the school really prepared her for college because of the level of academics. She was able to take challenging courses, including ones in the Advance Placement program, and a large variety of courses are offered. She had been playing the viola since she was in fourth grade, and continued to through high school, where she was able to play in two orchestras, small chamber groups, and had other performance opportunities.
--Submitted by a parent

We recently moved to westfield from the top ranked school system in maryland, and we are very pleased with everything about this school. The teachers all seem so enthusiastic and motivated. Every one of them. Genuine concern for quality education and for the whole student, academic, sports, the arts. Huge parent involvement. The school keeps us well informed and has many interactive forums for parents to meet the teachers, learn about the classes. We just went to a meeting tonight to learn about all the options our daughter will have in 10th grade and beyond, so that she and we can be mapping out her courses of study, understanding what each course really is, what prerequisites certain classes have and/or what the student performance expectation is. Teachers do expect a lot, but they give a lot. And students are treated with a high degree of respect and freedom if they perform.
--Submitted by a parent